Method for producing foodstuffs, dietetic foodstuffs and food additives on the basis of grain stillage

ABSTRACT

A process for producing foods, dietetic foods and food additives based on distillers&#39; grains in which the distillers&#39; grains are directly taken from the distilling kettle, thickened, but not dried, and fermented with milk and a yoghurt or butter culture, wherein certain conditions with respect to pressure concentration, temperatures etc. are to be observed in the further processing in order to obtain optimum results.

This application is a 371 National stage of PCT/EP00/07035, filed Jul.21, 2000.

The present invention relates to a process for producing foods, dieteticfoods and food additives based on distillers' grains in which thedistillers' grains are directly taken from the distilling kettle,thickened, but not dried, and admixed with milk and a yoghurt culture.Such a process is known from DE-C-39 04 962. This process has provenuseful, but from time to time, quality variations occurred and thusproducts were obtained which were not optimal in terms of taste andsmell. Thus, it has been the object of the invention to improve andoptimize the process according to DE 39 04 962 C2 and to be able tofurther process the product obtained thereby into a wide variety offinal products.

Now, this object has been achieved by the following process:

a) distillers' grains are thickened under a pressure of from 100 to 800mbar, preferably about 700 mbar, to about from 15 to 19% dry matter,preferably to from 16 to 18% dry matter;

b) mixed with milk which has already been inoculated with the yoghurtculture or a butter culture;

c) either the mixture obtained is fermented with yoghurt culture at atemperature of from 38 to 48° C., preferably from 40 to 44° C., for 10to 15 hours, preferably for 12 to 15 hours, or the mixture obtained isfermented with a butter culture at a temperature of from 18 to 24° C.,preferably from 20 to 22° C., for up to 36 hours, preferably for 26 to30 hours; followed by

d) mixing with additional milk or milk concentrate and cooling totemperatures of below 15° C.

Of critical importance to the process is, firstly, the thickening underreduced pressure within the pressure range mentioned, because pressuresof above 800 mbar tend to produce agglutinations, and pressures of lessthan 100 mbar are associated with excessively high production costs.Further important is the demanded range of from 15 to 19, preferablyfrom 16 to 18%, dry matter since such products can be readily processedfurther with a high economic efficiency and are freed from alldisturbing odorous substances. Thus, during research into the requireddosing quantity, it has been established that each ready-to-consumeportion should contain from 21 to 25 grams dry matter fraction of themixtures with yoghurt and butter cultures, preferably from 22 to 23grams. This corresponds to about 135 grams of the thickened mass with17% dry matter. This mass, admixed with additional ingredients, yieldstasty selling units and consuming portions of from 200 to 250 gramsformulated ready to consume.

For such ready-to-consume products, the following are suitable, inparticular:

milk preparations

fruit preparations

vegetable preparations.

Further, it has proven useful not to admix the thickened distillers'grains first with milk and then with a yoghurt culture or butterculture, but to admix it with milk already inoculated with the yoghurtculture or butter culture. These mixtures are fermented under the abovementioned conditions, wherein care should be taken that the fermentationwill be stopped by cooling, at the latest, when the pH value has droppedto 4.7, preferably 4.9. Butter cultures of lactic bacteria can provide amilder taste for the final product.

This fermentation with a yoghurt culture or butter culture of thedistillers' grains previously fermented with yeast is capable ofreliably and with high efficiency degrading the last disturbing flavors.In addition, it has been found that residual sugars and carbohydratesare also metabolized into lactic acid in this fermentation, so that theproduct contains even less sugars and carbohydrates and is thus evenmore suitable for diabetics, and in addition obtains a better storagestability.

After completion of this fermentation, the product is mixed withadditional milk or milk concentrate and cooled down to temperatures ofbelow 15° C. This brings the fermentation to a complete standstill, anda further decrease of the pH value does not occur, which would not beacceptable in terms of taste.

The thus obtained product is preferably spray-dried, whereby it becomesstorable with virtually no limitation. Due to the spray-drying, theyoghurt culture loses its viability so that the fermentation cannotresume even when the product is moistened later.

In addition, this cooled product may also be stored and shipped anddirectly processed further into ready meals, provided that the yoghurtculture or butter culture is acceptable therein. It is even possible toprovide this product with further fermentable additives which will theninfluence the properties of the final product. I t has been found thathoney, lecithins and/or soybean proteins form complex compounds withdistillers' grains. Due to chemical-physical interactions between thelecithins, proteins and the individual groups of substances from thedistillers' grains (e.g., residual carbohydrates, fats), multicomponentsystems are formed. In their chemical, physical and biological behavior,these are substantially different from their individual components,which is the basis of their manifold effects.

If desired, both the spray-dried product and the not yet spray-driedproduct can be admixed with minerals, vitamins, flavors, flavoringagents and colorants and thus varied to become products having a widevariety of tastes. However, it is a common feature of all these productsthat their taste and smell is no longer reminiscent of distillers'grains and are therefore accepted by broad circles of consumers. Highlyappreciated additives include fruit, vegetable and/or milk preparationswith sweetening agents or fructose, especially when the products are toremain suitable for diabetics or for weight reduction.

Further, it is possible to spray honey or aqueous solutions of honeyonto the finished product, wherein temperatures of above 60° C. shouldbe avoided and care should be taken that no aggregates or agglutinationsare produced. Honey not only improves the taste, but also increases thecontent of trace elements, vitamins, enzymes, certain amino acids andeasy-to-digest nutrients, so that such products can also be employed asa supplementary diet during slimming cures, during recovery afteroperations or illness etc. Further, the products are suitable asdietetic foods for the treatment of amino acid deficiency diseases,pancreatic functional disorders, carbohydrate addiction diseases andintestinal functional disorders. The quantity of honey is preferablynear about 5% by weight, based on the thickened distillers' grains.Instead of honey, up to 15% by weight of date paste, which is moresuitable for diabetics, may also be used.

Of course, if desired, distillers' grains may also be digested bymilling in a ball mill or by ultrasonication after having been removedfrom the distilling kettle, in accordance with DE 39 04 962. However,comminution and homogenization in a high-pressure homogenizer is moreuseful. This is preferably effected on the fresh grains obtained fromthe distillation plant while still hot and prior to the thickening underpressure. Homogenization may take place, for example, under a pressureof from 800 to 1000 bar, or by repeated homogenizations under 300 to 400bar. Suitable equipment is constructed and supplied, for example, byNiro Soavi of Lübeck (Germany). Homogenization is preferably effected attemperatures around 90° C.

Finally, it has been found that the thus prepared improved products canbe employed as food supplements, especially together with furtheradditives, wherein the products themselves already contain valuablecomponents of food supplements due to their high content of roughage,minerals, vitamins and proteins from yeast and milk.

The consistency of the products can be adjusted by additions such asxanthan, guar gum and modified starch. If the heating times are keptshort enough so that the components and active substances are notdeteriorated or destroyed, the product may even be subjected to cookingextrusion together with small quantities of starch to form, for example,snacks or flakes, which are more accepted by the consumer as compared toready-to-mix powder mixtures. It is also possible to compress thepowders into chewing tablets, which certainly does not bring aboutdamage to the components and active substances.

What is claimed is:
 1. A process for producing foods, dietetic foods andfood additives based on distillers' grains in which the distillers'grains are directly taken from the distilling kettle, thickened, but notdried, and fermented with milk and a yoghurt or butter culture,characterized in that a) distillers' grains are thickened under apressure of from 100 to 800 mbar to about from 15 to 19% dry matter;then b) mixed with milk which has already been inoculated with theyoghurt culture or butter culture; c) either the mixture obtained isfermented with yoghurt culture at a temperature of from 38 to 48° C. for10 to 20 hours, or the mixture obtained is fermented with a butterculture at a temperature of from 18 to 24° C. for up to 36 hours;followed by d) mixing with additional milk or milk concentrate andcooling to temperatures of below 15° C.
 2. The process according toclaim 1, characterized in that the thickening in step a) is effected ata pressure of about 700 mbar and taken to from 16 to 18% dry matter. 3.The process according to claim 1, characterized in that fermentation instep c) is at 40 to 44° C. for 12 to 15 hours for a yoghurt culture, orat 20 to 22° C. for 20 to 30 hours for a butter culture.
 4. The processaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the fermentation is stoppedby cooling, at the latest, when the pH value has dropped to 4.7.
 5. Theprocess according to claim 1, characterized in that the product issubsequently spray-dried.
 6. The process according to claim 1,characterized in that the product is sprayed with honey, aqueoussolutions of honey or date paste.
 7. The process according to claim 1,characterized in that the product is cooled, stored and shipped withoutspray-drying and processed further into ready meals.
 8. The processaccording to claim 1, characterized in that the hot distillers' grainsare comminuted in a high-pressure homogenizer prior to being thickened.9. A method of using the product prepared according to claim 1,comprising incorporating said product into a food supplement.
 10. Amethod of using the product prepared according to claim 1, comprisingincorporating said product into tablets, snacks, flakes or extrudates.11. A method of using the product prepared according to claim 1,comprising incorporating said product into ready-to-drink products;spoon-ready yoghurt preparations; spoon-ready whole food dessert meals;ready-to-mix muesli preparations; ready-to-mix dry products forpreparing diet portions and meals, and for preparing whole-fooddesserts.